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Guide E-215
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Martha Archuleta E RSI
High altitude presents several challenges when preparing more time may be required at 5,000 ft. than at sea level.
some foods. First, leavened products, using either yeast, Use the sea-level time and temperature when oven-
baking powder, baking soda, egg whites or steam, rise roasting meats, as oven temperatures are not affected by
more rapidly and often collapse. Second, foods such as altitude changes.
vegetables and stews cooked with moist heat take much Hard-cooked eggs require additional time. Place cold
longer to prepare. eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cool tap water. Cover
Atmospheric (air) pressure is 14.7 pounds per square and set heat on high. When water temperature ap-
inch (psi) at sea level; at 5,000 ft altitude, it is 12.28 psi; proaches a gentle simmer, reduce heat to a low setting. At
and at 10,000 ft, 10.2 psi. The relationship is inverse: 5,000 ft it will take about 25 minutes for eggs to cook.
the higher the elevation, the lower the air pressure. At The traditional 3-minute egg may take 5 to 6 minutes.
higher altitudes then, air pressure is less on both leav-
ened products and the surface of boiling liquids.
As atmospheric pressure decreases, water boils at CANDIES AND FROSTINGS
lower temperatures. At sea level, it boils at 212°F while Boiling causes loss of moisture through evaporation; thus,
each 500-ft increase in altitude causes a drop of about 1° the lower the boiling point, the sooner evaporation be-
in the boiling point. At very high altitudes, boiling wa- gins. At high altitudes all liquids boil at temperatures be-
ter is relatively “cool.” Since heat, not boiling, cooks low 212°, requiring adjustments for candies and frostings.
foods at higher altitudes, more time is required for food When sugar mixtures are cooked to the temperatures
to reach the desired internal cooking temperature. suggested in sea-level recipes, at high altitudes the faster
Low humidity, not necessarily an altitude factor but water loss causes the mixture to become too concen-
certainly a reality in New Mexico, causes ingredients trated. Depending on the candy or sugar mixture, the
such as flour to dry out and may produce dry, crumbly results may become “sugary” or hard as the sugar
baked products. re-crystallizes.
The following guidelines will reduce the number of bak- To adjust sugar recipes for altitude, reduce the
ing failures or partially cooked foods frequently experi- “finish” temperature. If you use a candy thermometer,
enced by those living at high altitudes with low humidity. first test the temperature at which water boils. While
weather conditions may cause minor changes from day
to day, the range is usually slight. The finish tempera-
FOODS COOKED WITH MOISTURE ture should be reduced by the difference between the
Vegetables, legumes, pot roasts, soups, and stews pre- water boiling temperature and 212° (table 1).
pared at a 5,000 ft altitude require additional cooking At 5,000-foot altitude, water boils at approximately
time. Vegetable cookery is greatly affected by size, variety, 202°, 10° less than at sea level; thus reduce the finish
and maturity of the product, and adjustments must be temperature for the candy or frosting by 10°. For ex-
made accordingly at any altitude. Preparation time can be ample, if a sea-level recipe for creamy fudge gives a fin-
reduced by one-fourth to one-third by using a pressure ish temperature of 238°, the corrected thermometer
saucepan, which causes the temperature of boiling water reading would be 228° at 5,000 ft. The cold-water test
to increase pressure builds within the sealed container. is reliable at any altitude as it depends solely upon the
Meat cooked by simmering or braising requires addi- appearance of the candy in water.
tional time at higher altitudes. In general, one-fourth
To find more resources for your business, home, or family, visit the College of Agriculture and Home Economics on the
World Wide Web at www.cahe.nmsu.edu
Table 1. Sugar cookery adjustment.
Finish temperature
Cold-water test Sea level 2,000 ft 5,000 ft 7,500 ft
Product
Creamy candies Soft ball 234-240°F 230-236°F 224-230°F 219-225°F
and fillling
Chewy candies Firm ball 242-248° F 238-244°F 232-238°F 227-233°F
Pulled candies, Hard ball 250-268°F 246-264°F 240-248°F 235-253°F
fillings, and
frostings with
egg whites
Toffees Soft crack 270-290°F 266-286°F 260-280°F 255-275°F
Brittles Hard crack 300-310°F 296-306°F 290-300°F 285-295°F
Where two amounts appear below, try the smaller YEAST BREADS
adjustment first. If the cake still needs improvement, Good basic recipes for yeast breads are reliable at most
use the larger adjustment (table 3). altitudes, but as fermentation of sugar in bread is faster
at higher altitudes, bread may rise in one-third to one-
fourth of the time required at lower altitudes. Watch
Table 3. Leavening, sugar, and liquid adjustments carefully and punch down when dough doubles in bulk.
Adjustment 3,000 ft 5,000 ft 7,000 ft As one package of yeast can raise 12 cups of flour, some
Baking powder cooks will reduce the yeast by half and punch down the
For each teaspoon, decrease 1/8 tsp 1/8 to 1/4 tsp 1/4 tsp dough when it doubles in bulk.
Sugar To prevent dry yeast breads, add about three-fourths
For each cup, decrease 0 - 1 Tbsp 0 - 2 Tbsp 1 - 3 Tbsp of the flour specified in the recipe or enough to make a
Liquid stiff batter. Allow batter to absorb moisture for about
For each cup, add 1 - 2 Tbsp 2 - 4 Tbsp 3 - 4 Tbsp ten minutes. Add only enough flour to make a soft
dough that is handled easily.
New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture cooperating.
Revised March 2005 Las Cruces, NM
3C
Guide E-215 • Page 4